Physical Exercise Effects on University Students’ Attention: An EEG Analysis Approach

Abstract

Physically active breaks (AB) are currently being proposed as an interesting tool to improve students’ attention. Reviews and meta-analyses confirm their effect on attention, but also warned about the sparse evidence based on vigilance and university students. Therefore, this pilot study aimed to (a) determine the effects of AB in comparison with passive breaks on university students’ vigilance and (b) to validate an analysis model based on machine learning algorithms in conjunction with a multiparametric model based on electroencephalography (EEG) signal features. Through a counterbalanced within-subject experimental study, six university students (two female; mean age = 25.67, STD = 3.61) had their vigilance performances (i.e., response time in Psycho-Motor Vigilance Task) and EEG measured, before and after a lecture with an AB and another lecture with a passive break. A multiparametric model based on the spectral power, signal entropy and response time has been developed. Furthermore, this model, together with different machine learning algorithms, shows that for the taken signals there are significant differences after the AB lesson, implying an improvement in attention. These differences are most noticeable with the SVM with RBF kernel and ANNs with F1-score of 85% and 88%, respectively. In conclusion, results showed that students performed better on vigilance after the lecture with AB. Although limited, the evidence found could help researchers to be more accurate in their EEG analyses and lecturers and teachers to improve their students’ attentions in a proper way.

Unveiling the acute neurophysiological responses to strength training: an exploratory study on novices performing weightlifting bouts with different motor learning models

“…Regarding the beta frequency band, previous endurance-based exercise revealed primarily increased values, followed by decreased values and no significant changes from pre- to post-exercise [ 42 ], with increased activity during and after cyclic endurance activities mainly identified across the frontal [ 109 , 112 ], central [ 112 ], and parietal [ 113 ] cortex regions [ 86 ] and limbic area [ 98 ]. The present coordination-strength-related findings align more with approaches suggesting enhanced beta activity in response to physical exercise by showing that in addition to the abovementioned central and parieto/occipital beta increases registered regardless of the motor learning model, there was also an increase in the remaining tested region for CIb, in the frontal region for CIs, and in the T-R region for DL and RL.…”

“…According to the recent systematic review by Hosang et al [ 42 ], out of the 47 included studies, only five explored this frequency band, with two of them testing pre- and post-exercise change and none of them focusing on strength or coordinative-strength exercises. Again, contradictory results between an increase [ 112 ] and a decrease [ 117 ] in response to endurance exercises in different contexts were reported. Similar to the beta frequency, the present coordination-strength-based findings align more with approaches suggesting enhanced gamma activity in response to physical exercise and showed that in addition to the abovementioned central and parieto/occipital beta increases registered regardless of the motor learning model, there was also an increase in the remaining tested region for CIb, in the frontal region for CIs, and in the T-R region for DL and RL.…”

“…Lastly, it should be highlighted that the present coordinationstrength-based findings showed no change between pre- and post-exercise in terms of theta frequency in any of the tested regions. In response to endurance-based exercise, previous studies showed mainly a significant change from pre- to post-exercise, with either a decrease across the left prefrontal cortex [ 109 ] and the central and parietal cortices [ 106 ] or an increase in the bilateral prefrontal cortex [ 112 ]. Only one study showed no significant changes in this frequency band.…”